FALLS CHURCH, Va. – Did you know that your feedback could be a key ingredient in developing health policies, treatments, and models of care for the military and veteran healthcare systems?

The Department of Defense and Veterans Health Administration are seeking volunteers for four upcoming patient focus groups. These focus groups will help inform the development of clinical practice guidelines.

“Clinical practice guidelines are instrumental in how providers treat various medical conditions,” said U.S. Public Health Service Capt. Margaret Rincon, Chief, Clinical Quality Improvement, at the Defense Health Agency. “Your feedback is critical for creating a comprehensive care model to improve patient outcomes.”

All focus groups meet virtually and last about two hours. The next focus group, on diagnosing and treating menopause, is on April 25 at 2 p.m. ET. The deadline to register is April 24 at 5 p.m. ET.

The other CPGs in development are:

Osteoarthritis
Hypertension (high blood pressure)
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD

Each topic needs nine volunteers.

Participation requirements

You must be diagnosed by your doctor with the condition related to the topic.
You must be at least 18 years old.
You must have received health care at a military hospital or clinic. Have you received additional or referral care outside a military hospital or clinic? You can still participate, as long as you’ve primarily received care for this condition at a military hospital or clinic.

What to expect

Other important things to know include:

A doctor will ask you to share your experiences in a small group discussion with other people receiving similar care.
You’ll have the chance to review and provide feedback on the final draft CPG for your topic.
The report won’t include any personally identifiable information.

How to register

Are you interested in signing up? Do you have more questions? Email the DHA CPG Group Mailbox at dha.ncr.medical-affairs.mbx.cqi-cpg@health.mil. Please indicate the topic in your subject line. (Note: You can participate in more than one focus group. But you must register for each topic separately.)

Keep an eye on the TRICARE Newsroom to learn the dates and registration deadlines for other upcoming patient focus groups.